look at that stump not a
stone's throw away; you couldn't say now whether it was a cow lying
down, a horse, a rock, or a stump, which last I take the thing to be.
Am I right about that."

"Why, sure's I live, that ere is a fact, Andy," replied the other; "but
I never'd a thought it. Moonlight fools a feller the worst kind. I
throwed a stone at a whippoor-will as was perched on the roof a-keepin'
us all awake nights, and would yuh believe me, she went right through
the winder of the attic, kersmash. Never was more surprised in my life.
And you don't ketch me heavin' stones by moonlight agin."

From one subject they drifted to another. Andy even told more or less
about how Percy Carberry had hated and envied them in the past, and how
often he had tried to do them a serious injury.

"Frank seems to think he will give up that mean sort of play, because we
really saved his life that time we had our race to the rock on the
summit of Old Thundertop, and his aeroplane was smashed there; so one of
us had to carry Percy and Sandy home, bruised as they were. But I don't,
because I know it'd take more than that to change the spots of a fellow
of his kind. And chances are, Felix, we'll find those two boys sneaking
up here before the middle of the night."

"Wish't they would," chuckled the farm hand. "You're ready to give 'em
a warm time of it, I guess, Andy. Be as good as any old circus to me,
just to see how they jump when you open up. Let 'em come, says I. The
sooner the better, too."

Long they lay there, and talked in low tones. Felix wanted to make the
best of this glorious chance. A new world seemed to open up to the farm
hand, as he heard of the wonderful things the Bird boys had seen, and
taken part in. Perhaps ambition was beginning to awaken in the boy's
soul, and he might not after this be so satisfied to plod along in the
same old rut every day of the year. Perhaps the seed thus sown might
take root, and bring him either great good or harm, as the tide of
fortune chose.

"We heard as how a feller was up there to watch you boys fly not a great
while ago, Andy," he went on to say; "an' he was so took by the way you
managed things that he wanted to get you to go in with a big concern run
by a boss airman; but you just up and told him you couldn't do that
same. Was that so?"

"Why, yes, you must mean Mr. Marsh," returned the other, modestly. "I
believe he did read some account of us that got into the papers, and was